


Natasha Romanov, Two Hours Later

by MissIzzy



Series: Walking Behind With a Bucket [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-11 22:32:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15325833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissIzzy/pseuds/MissIzzy
Summary: Dealing with the immediate fallout.





	Natasha Romanov, Two Hours Later

**Author's Note:**

> Normally when I do revisions to my fics after posting, it's years later. But this one got edited nine days later when Angela Bassett revealed Queen Ramonda's still alive, and she suddenly inserted herself into the series.

It’s now evening in Wakanda, and the surviving foreign visitors have mostly been left to their own devices. That’s made sense; the locals definitely have their own issues to deal with right now. Still, anyone who knows anything about general Wakandan views of the outside world would know the Avengers probably shouldn’t linger here much longer.

When she and Steve said that to Okoye, who seems to have generally taken charge of things for the moment, she agreed, but advised them that maybe they shouldn’t go yet. “The surviving members of the Tribal Council are going to have some questions for you,” she told them. “Your answers might determine whether Wakanda merely closes its borders back up, or does much worse.”

That was so early, they didn’t even know who they were going to be talking to. But Wakanda's technology let them determine who was alive and who was dead across the country stunningly quickly. Three new Tribal Elders have arrived, and they and the late King's mother and sister are now gathered in the throne room, along with Shuri, Okoye, and the other surviving members of the Dora Milaje. Steve and Natasha are standing just outside, waiting to be let in.

Once they’re in, Steve will probably do most of the talking. But here, she starts, “Don’t call Shuri ‘Your Majesty.’ You’re not monarch of Wakanda until you make it through the coronation. Speak well of the country, but don’t flatter them; at least one of them is sure to get suspicious. In fact, from what we’ve seen of them, I think we really should tell the whole truth. They won’t be happy we put them in danger to save Vision, but they’ll see through lies of omission. And they expect us to lie to them. That’s never a good situation, but we can work with it.”

Her voice should not breaking. Not under these circumstances. They know well what Okoye was talking about when she said what she said to them. After failing to save half the universe, they still have to save the world, and by a method they’ve got a lot less experience with. She should have her razor focus on. All girls who grew to be women in the Red Room got that quickly, and never let it fail them. Whatever emotions she’s going to have to feel, she should feel later.

She’s spent too much time on their trip up here preoccupied by how low the probability is that all of any given group of five people could have survived. And how many other people she’s cared about in her life there are where she doesn’t think she’ll  _ever_  know their fates.

Steve hears the slight crack. Probably no one else would, but of course he does. “Hey,” he said. “If nothing else, I’m sure Shuri will get us in contact with New York. If Pepper Potts is still alive, she’s probably doing everything she can already…”

“I know,” says Natasha. They don’t even know if they’ll be returning to the States, though Rhodey might insist on going to face the music anyway. They know the President is dead, which would be good news, if it wasn’t for the fact that everyone in the line of succession is awful, and they don’t even know which ones of them are alive right now. But all that Natasha can make herself think about after this meeting. It’s the personal’s that’s bothering her.

“One thing,” says Steve. “If they bring up what happened in Lagos, I’m going to take full responsibility for it. I don’t care if Wanda’s the one now beyond their wrath; she had enough said wrongly against her while she was alive, and it really was my fault as much as it was hers.”

There was the chance his honesty would impress them, Natasha supposes. But out loud, she only says, “Well, whatever you do, don’t downplay it. I know you remember the names of all the confirmed victims both then and today; don’t list them off, but see if you can use them without being obvious about it.

Remember they’re scared right now,” she concluded as she heard the murmur in the throne room die down, then Okoye’s footsteps as she came to the door. “Just like everyone else in the world. They’re scared and angry and helpless, and unwilling to admit to the last. And that will only make them angrier if you try to offer them help, especially since I don’t think there’s much you can do for them at the moment anyway. I know you hate that, but you have to remember who they are and why they view us the way they do.”

They was no time for any more; the door slid open, and Okoye was standing there, ready to escort them in. Queen Ramonda and the elders were in what were likely their normal seats. Apparently M’Baku's chair was usually left empty, but he was right alongside all the others for this one, and he didn’t even look any more wary than the rest of them did. From the far side of the room, Shuri, even if she wasn't crowned yet, was still perched on the great chair.

Natasha kept her stance unthreatening and her face completely unreadable as she followed Steve into the throne room. She did make sure to make eye contact with Okoye as they walked, though, and the two exchanged the slightest of nods. The head of the Dora Milaje had a long night and her hardest tasks still ahead of her, Natasha knew, but she’d try to talk to her again herself before the end of it; she’d need the information Okoye would have by then for more than one reason.


End file.
